If your emotions run high, that’s because we have a Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo on January 20/January 21.
This Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo is truly unique for a number of reasons:
It’s a Total Eclipse, and total eclipses are the most powerful
It’s also a Supermoon, meaning the Moon is closer to the Earth than ever
This is the final eclipse on the Leo / Aquarius axis, ending the series of eclipses which started early 2017
It’s at 0° Leo, and 0° of a sign is very powerful, representing the quintessence of that sign. 0° of Leo is pure Leo energy!
The Total Lunar eclipse is visible throughout the North and South America and North-Western Europe, which means it will especially influence people living in these parts of the world.
This Leo Eclipse is a Lunar Eclipse, meaning the Earth is crossing between Sun and Moon, blocking the light of the Moon.
Unlike a Solar Eclipse, when the Moon overshadows the Sun, when we have a Lunar Eclipse, the Moon is overshadowed by the Earth. This means that at this Lunar Eclipse you are guided by the instincts of the Earth, and not by the light of the Sun. You will do what feels right to you, not what the Universe expects you to do.
Total Lunar Eclipse In Leo Is Square Uranus And Opposite Mercury
The Lunar Eclipse makes two major aspects, a square to Uranus and an opposition to Mercury.
Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury and both planets deal with the mind and the intellect.
Because Uranus always brings change, expect to completely change a pattern of thinking or to rewire your brain in a way that will better serve you in the future. Something about your mindset has to change.
Don’t try to resist it! Mercury and Uranus are factual planets: look at the facts, take the feedback, and adjust. Time to see things from a different, unbiased perspective.
At the time of the eclipse, Venus is conjunct Jupiter, suggesting a positive outcome. Venus is conjunct Jupiter in Sagittarius. Whatever happens at the time of the Full Moon / Total Lunar eclipse will open new horizons and new possibilities for you (Sagittarius).
Eclipses Cycles: Metonic Cycles And Saros Cycles
Eclipses have two cycles, Metonic cycles, and Saros cycles. The Total Lunar Eclipse in Leo belongs to both a Metonic cycle and to a Saros cycle.
The Metonic cycles repeat every 19 years. The previous eclipses from the same Metonic cycle took place in January 2000 and January 1981.
An eclipse from the same Metonic cycle falls in the same sign and the same part of your chart. Try to remember what was going on in your life 19, or 38 years ago. Similar themes can come into focus. If for example 19 years ago you got a degree or a certification, you can expect something similar now. If 19 years ago you had troubles with your neighbors, this time you can also expect troubles with your neighbors.
The Saros cycles repeat every 18 years. The previous 2 eclipses from this Lunar Eclipse Saros family took place in January 2001 and December 1982.
Eclipses in the same Saros family share the same originating “mother eclipse”. Every 18 years, a Saros eclipse moves 10° along the zodiac, from the degree of the previous eclipse.
Unlike Metonic cycles, Saros cycles eclipses bring an element of change. The Saros eclipse will be connected with a theme that was prevalent in your life 19 years ago, or 38 years ago etc., but it will move it forward. If for example 19 years ago you quit your job, now you can respond to a job change in a different way: change your career, or decide to start a business.
Total Lunar Eclipse at 0° Leo
Leo is the king of the jungle. The Sun, Leo’s ruler, is the center of our solar system. All other planets revolve around the Sun. The key word for Leo is leadership.
This is not the leadership embraced by politicians or managers of big corporations. Managers of big corporations usually do what they’re told by the owners, or by the shareholders. Leo’s leadership has nothing to do with ‘doing what you’re told’, ‘fitting in’, ‘playing by the rules’ or ‘climbing the ladder’.
Leo’s leadership comes from the heart. Leo, just like the Sun, simply shines, and wants to be acknowledged and accepted as who he or she truly is.
The positive manifestation of Leo energy is assured self-confidence, competence, generosity and healthy pride. The negative manifestation of Leo turns pride into hubris. The desire to be acknowledged and accepted can become too forceful and dramatic. Leo’s desire to live from the heart can make them ignore the feedback they get from the environment.
The Sabian Symbol for the Leo Lunar Eclipse is “Blood Rushes to a Man’s Head as His Vital Energies Are Mobilized Under the Spur of Ambition.”
This metaphor beautifully encompasses the energy of 0° of Leo. It speaks about the divine power we can ignite when we fully put our heart into something. But the Sabian symbol also draws our attention to the danger of hubris.
What fuels your ambition?
Total Lunar Eclipse In Leo – The Final Act
Because this is a Lunar Eclipse, allow your earthly wisdom to take over this time. And because the Eclipse is square Uranus and opposite Mercury, open your mind to different points of view.
Because this is the last eclipse in Leo (at least in the next 17 years or so), this Eclipse will bring the resolution of all the other eclipses in Leo. This is the ‘final act’.
Ultimately, the Lunar Eclipse in Leo is your opportunity to heal your heart. This is your opportunity to transform pride into purpose, selfishness into generosity, and turn your creative fire into authentic self-expression.
This eclipse will especially impact you if one of your personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus or Mars) or one of the four angles (ascendant, IC, descendant or Midheaven) is at 0° to 2° of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus or Scorpio. Also, look at your natal chart for the house that contains Leo. This Lunar Eclipse will stir up events related to this house.
Do you want to learn more about the eclipses? If you haven’t done it yet, check out Astro Butterfly’s mini-course All About Eclipses
2019 will be more uplifting than 2018, thanks to Jupiter’s transit into its home sign Sagittarius, and also thanks to the fact that in 2019 we have much less retrograde activity than in 2018. And less retrograde = more flow, more action!
2019 is the year when the projects you started in 2018 will bear fruits. In 2018 both Venus and Mars have been retrograde, asking you to reflect on your past and renew for the future. Both Venus and Mars are ‘relationship planets’, and they describe not only how we interact with others, but also how we take action and fulfill our goals.
In 2019, Venus and Mars are in the middle of their cycle. That’s their Full Moon phase and it will take place between the 2nd half of August and the first week of September. This is when you can expect to see progress and achievements, especially in your relationships and in your creative projects.
The Lunar Nodes will spend the whole 2019 in Cancer and Capricorn. The North Node is in Cancer, showing you where you’ve neglected yourself and the loved ones, while being caught in the rat-race (South Node in Capricorn), doing what you’re told, in a chase for a pointless pursuit.
In 2019, you will rebalance this and focus on building stronger emotional foundations, rather than working on yourself for the benefit of others.
South Node Conjunct Saturn And Pluto In Capricorn
Saturn and Pluto have been in Capricorn for a while now, but in 2019 we also have the South Node there, which will activate both Pluto and Saturn by conjunction.
Here are the ‘fatidic’ conjunction dates to be exact:
April 4th, 2019 – South Node conjunct Pluto at 23°Capricorn
April 30th, 2019 – South Node conjunct Saturn at 20° Capricorn
July 4th, 2019 – South Node conjunct Saturn at 17° Capricorn
Sept 28th, 2019 – South Node conjunct Saturn at 13° Capricorn
The Saturn – South Node conjunction will last unusually long, and Saturn and South Node are very close to each other all summer because Saturn retrograde travels at a similar speed with the South Node.
If you have planets or angles in Capricorn or Cancer, this summer you will have a full experience of Saturn conjunct the South Node. But even if you are not a Capricorn or Cancer, or don’t have planets in Capricorn or Cancer, you will still feel the energy of this aspect somewhere in your chart.
Saturn In Capricorn Sextile Neptune In Pisces
Thankfully, except for June-July when Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars in Cancer make oppositions with the planets in Capricorn, we don’t have any other major challenging aspects to Saturn, Pluto, and the South Node.
In fact, we have a beautiful sextile between Neptune in Pisces and the planets in Capricorn. Neptune and Saturn specifically are engaged in a year-long sextile.
The 3 exact dates for the Saturn-Neptune sextile are:
January 31, 2019 (Saturn at 14° Capricorn, Neptune at 14° Pisces)
June 18, 2019 (Saturn at 18° Capricorn, Neptune at 18° Pisces)
November 9, 2019 (Saturn at 16° Capricorn, Neptune at 16° Pisces)
Now we know we have a mix of challenging and supporting aspects to the planets in Capricorn, but what does this mean in practice?
What To Expect From 3 Planets In Capricorn
Capricorn is a very serious, structured sign. Capricorn rules authority and systems. Architecture is a good metaphor for the Capricorn energy. If you build a house, you need to have a vision for how the house will look, and then you need to design it in such a way that it has structural integrity, so it won’t break.
Whatever Capricorn builds, it builds to last. That’s why the financial, the educational, the political systems are all ruled by Capricorn. If you want a system of such a scale to work, you need to build it on solid foundations.
But what happens when a system becomes too solid, too unshakeable? It becomes rigid. The educational system is an example. For years we’ve been told we need to get a university degree, find a job, fit in, and that’s pretty much how the world used to work.
What about now? As a university student, you get a diploma but don’t necessarily learn the skills that will help you deal with today’s reality. Nowadays, if you rely only on the educational system, at graduation, you end up with a diploma, broke, having learned some outdated theory, and with 50-100K of student debt.
It’s clear that this system has outlived its usefulness. And the same goes with politics, health, corporations, the food industry, and so on.
Saturn, Pluto And South Node In Capricorn
What happens when we have 3 powerful planets (Pluto, Saturn and South Node) in Capricorn, the sign of structure and systems? Let’s take them one by one:
Pluto is the planet of what’s hidden beneath the surface of our consciousness. Pluto is the planet of transformation, and when properly embraced, grants infinite power. But in the process, Pluto destroys everything that’s obsolete or unnecessary.
Pluto moved into Capricorn in 2008, when we had the big financial crisis. Pluto exposed the lack of integrity of our financial system. Pluto is the reason why inflation has been kept under relative control in most parts of the world, but this doesn’t mean Pluto doesn’t have more work to do. He does, and he will. Wait for the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in January 2020!
Saturn is the natural ruler of Capricorn so Saturn and Capricorn share many things in common: structure, determination, hard work, responsibility. Saturn is the builder of the zodiac, and when in Capricorn, he likes to build even higher structures or fences.
The South Node, or the tail of the dragon, stands for karma, or for the ‘final result’. When we’re on our path, working on our North Node mission, then the South Node is the final outcome of our work.
But when we don’t feed the North Node, or fail to see the relationship between input (North Node) and output (South Node) then the South Node can come with sorrow, regret, and with an overarching feeling that we can’t escape our destiny.
When Pluto, Saturn, and the South Node come together in Capricorn we know that our financial, political, educational, and pretty much every system in place are up for a transformation.
Getting To The Core Of The Matter
Saturn builds, and Pluto destroys. South Node is the final outcome. Together, the 3 will be very careful about what they build, and what they destroy. Their work is not one of expansion, but of focus on what matters.
Will Saturn and Pluto break the existing systems, or on contrary, consolidate them? They will probably do both. This is not a Uranus transit, when everything is wiped out in one day, on a quest for radical change.
This is a slow, focused process. This is a call for minimalism.
How can we get to what really matters? How can we get to the guiding principles of structure, systems, and power? How can we build systems and structures that are still solid, but less prone to be corrupted by power?
The Saturn-Pluto-South Node conjunction will show us that it’s only the leaky foundation that will crumble, and that true power knows no destruction.
At the highest manifestation, this transit is an invitation to take full responsibility for your life, not necessarily by working harder or by playing by the rules, but by truly embracing the infinite power that lies inside you.
Become The CEO Of Your Own Life
This transit reminds me of a business owner who tried to find a CEO for his company for years and years, without success. In the end, he realized that it’s him who needs to become a CEO first. He needed to understand how a company works, what does it take to make it successful, before making someone else accountable. The lesson? Don’t outsource the CEO tasks, learn how to become a manager.
Instead of expecting the state, the politicians, the corporations to ‘make things work’, ask yourself: how can I become the CEO of my own life? How can I reclaim my power? How can I see that I already have what it takes to be who I am meant to be?
The South Node-Saturn-Pluto conjunction is our opportunity to release our Capricorn karma, and to unveil the mystery of what the purpose of power, systems, authority, and structures truly is. In 2019, you will find the quintessence of power, determination, and self-sufficiency
What Does The World Want From You?
In 2019, you will have the chance to release karma and programming that have been accumulating for generation after generation. You will finally have a breakthrough in what the world really wants from you (Capricorn).
“The court wants nothing from you. It receives you when you come, and it dismisses you when you go” – Franz Kafka, The Trial
If you haven’t read the book, “The Trial” is the story of Joseph K., an insurance official who is subjected to an unfair trial. At the time of his 30 birthday (a symbol for the Saturn return), K. is arrested and prosecuted by a remote, inaccessible authority.
The nature of his crime is revealed neither to him nor to the reader. He must defend himself against a charge about which he can’t get any information.
At the end of the book, K. is condemned to death, without knowing what crime he has committed. The book has become a symbol of the ordinary person’s struggle against an unreasoning and unreasonable authority.
At first glance, the book is all about the hopelessness of the individual against the corrupt power of the institutions (Saturn conjunct Pluto). The author of the book, Franz Kafka himself had the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in his natal chart and wrote the book at his own Saturn return, when again, transit Saturn was conjunct Pluto.
Yet, the line “The court wants nothing from you. It receives you when you come, and it dismisses you when you go” clarifies the deeper meaning of the book.
It’s not the society and its corruption that cause us harm, it’s our willingness to play along with the society’s rules and corruption, that causes all the suffering. Submitting to society’s corrupted ways is the biggest crime of them all.
K.’s trial is nothing else but the trial of his own conscience, speaking of his inability to access his inner power and to own his actions. His trial is self-inflicted.
Jupiter In Sagittarius – No Dream Is Too High
Now if all this Capricorn story sounds a bit too serious (it IS serious)… this doesn’t mean you will not have fun in 2019. With Jupiter in Sagittarius, you will have a lot of fun! There is one sector in your life that will definitely benefit from the optimistic and generous beams of Jupiter in Sagittarius.
So no worries, 2019 will be equally exciting! When Jupiter is at home, and when it makes contact with his friend Neptune (Neptune is now in Pisces, and both Jupiter and Neptune rule Pisces), everything becomes possible! Who said the sky’s the limit? In 2019, there’s no limit to Jupiter in Sagittarius’ arrows!
Uranus In Taurus – A New Kind Of Self-Worth
In March 2019, Uranus moves into Taurus, to stay there until 2026. Taurus is the most fixed and unmovable sign of the zodiac. Uranus is all about change and disruption.
The result? Uranus will change exactly that part of your identity which you believed will never change. Your values. Your principles. Your modus operandi.
By the end of this transit, you will no longer be the same person. Having money and possessions will no longer satisfy you. You will find a new kind of self-worth.
Chiron In Aries – Your Wound Is Your Gift
After a short preamble, Chiron moves back into Aries, and will stay there until 2027. Chiron is the archetype of the wounded healer.
Chiron in Aries is our opportunity to heal the deepest wounds of them all, the wound of identity (Aries).
Deep inside, we all doubt that our existence matters. Chiron in Aries will show you that it’s you who decided to come into this world, and that you did it for a reason. You’ve made it here because you have a mission.
And that it’s ok to doubt your significance from time to time, because if you didn’t, you would stagnate. And we all grow, that’s just how life works.
2019 Eclipses In Cancer, Leo And Capricorn
As always, eclipses are when things are going to happen. In 2019 we have 5 eclipses:
January 6 – Partial South Node Solar Eclipse at 15° Capricorn
January 20 – Full Noth Node Lunar Eclipse at 0° Leo
July 2 – Total Solar Eclipse at 10° Cancer
July 16 – Partial Lunar Eclipse at 24° Capricorn
December 25 – Partial Solar Eclipse at 4° Capricorn
To see whether these eclipses will affect you directly, check if you have any planets or angles around any of these eclipse degrees. If you don’t have planets in Capricorn or Cancer, you will still feel the fateful influence of the eclipses in certain areas of your life (check where you have Cancer and Capricorn in your chart).
Mercury Retrograde In 2019
In 2019, Mercury goes retrograde through Water signs, this means that in 2019 it’s our feelings that will go under review.
1st retrograde: March 5 – March 28 (in Pisces)
2nd retrograde: July 8 – August 1st (in Leo/Cancer)
3rd retrograde: October 31 – November 20 (In Scorpio).
Unlike 2018, 2019 is “retrograde as usual”. No more Venus or Mars retrograde, like in 2018. It’s only Mercury and the slow-moving planets that go retrograde in 2019 (and they go retrograde every year, without exception) and this means that we have less retrograde activity than usual.
That’s great news: 2019 will be less about reviewing and learning from mistakes, and more about implementation! If in 2018 you had reasons to slow down, in 2019, no more excuses.
You Have The Power
Yes, June and July will be challenging months, and yes, the Capricorn area of your chart might not be easy to navigate. But with a beautiful Jupiter in Sagittarius, with a supportive Saturn-Neptune sextile, and with no more major retrogrades, you can expect pretty much smooth sailing!
Don’t let anyone stop you from fulfilling your highest dreams, because no one, and nothing can stop you, really. In 2019, you are the CEO of your own life.
The Full Moon in Cancer takes place at 0° Cancer, the solstice point. This is one of the 4 cardinal degrees, or cardinal directions of the zodiac. The other three are the 0° Aries and 0° Libra (the equinoxes), and 0° Capricorn (the other solstice point).
The cardinal points are nothing else but the Sun’s change in direction. In fact, the whole concept of tropical astrology as we know it is based on these 4 points or directions.
The 4 cardinal degrees are the most important degrees of the zodiac. Needless to say that when we have an astrological event around one of these dates, important things tend to happen.
Full Moon In Cancer – Switching Gears
The Full Moon on December 22, 2018, at 0° Cancer is no exception. A Full Moon means that the Moon is opposite the Sun, which places the Sun at 0° Capricorn, another cardinal degree.
Both the Sun and the Moon are switching gears. And this means change – the right kind of change. Change that is in line with the laws of nature.
The Moon is more powerful than ever. Cancer is her home sign, after all. A Full Moon at 0° Cancer says “this is my year”. Indeed, 2019 is the Moon / Cancer year. The North Node of purpose is now in Cancer too.
Cancer is a feminine and manifesting sign. Cancer is the family, the roots, the mother’s womb, the safe, nurturing space where life is formed.
Cancer is the source, the root cause, the deeper truth.
The Full Moon in Cancer can be that turning point that will set your life in a new direction.
The question is, what systems do you need to put in place to fulfill your potential and meet your goals?
If you want to become a parent, how can you create a safe and nurturing environment for your family? Perhaps you need to find a new job that allows you to spend more time with your family. Or start working from home.
If you want to have a relationship, what do you need to change about yourself to feel worthy of a loving relationship? Maybe you need to get rid of a bad habit, or to keep your house clean.
If you want to get a management job, what skills do you need to learn to make your promotion inevitable?
When we don’t have what we want, it’s usually because weskipped a significant step in the process.
Cancer’s symbol is the crab. The crab moves sideways. This means the solution to the problem can be found when you take a counterintuitive approach.
Go back, re-engineer and find out what that skipped step is. By fixing the root cause of the problem, you can finally move forward.
Mercury Conjunct Jupiter – The Whole Brain
At the time of the Full Moon, Mercury is conjunct Jupiter at 9° Sagittarius. Mercury represents our analytical, factual, left-hemisphere mind, while Jupiter represents our spiritual, meaning-driven, right hemisphere of the mind. In our everyday life, we either go with the facts (Mercury) or with the intuition (Jupiter). Either, or.
This Mercury-Jupiter conjunction is your opportunity to bring the pieces of the puzzle together and to use your whole brain mind.
In the midst of opposite viewpoints, you can get to the real, naked TRUTH.
When we use our whole brain, strange things start to happen. You may start noticing things that don’t make any sense… at least not yet. Your worldview may be turned upside down. You can have a sudden realization that changes everything. An event may turn out differently than what you expected.
The Full Moon in Cancer will illuminate this insight. Take it in. Now that you know something you didn’t know before, you’re ready to switch gears.
Make a commitment that 2019 is the YEAR when you will take a different approach. You will get to the root cause of the matter. You will move sideways, like a crab, if needed. You will be brutally honest with yourself. You will create that type of life that makes success, mastery, and development inevitable.
The New Moon in Libra takes place on October 8 (if you live in the US) or on October 9 (if you live in Europe or Australasia). The New Moon is at 15° Libra.
This New Moon will feel more like Scorpio than Libra.
Also, the New Moon applies a very tight square to Pluto. And Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio.
As you can see, we have a lot of Scorpio energy connected to the New Moon. And what does Scorpio stand for? Transformation, transformation, transformation.
New Moons are connected to new beginnings, but because the ruler of the New Moon, Venus is retrograde, this new beginning is somewhat connected to the past.
Still, because it’s a New Moon, it’s not about closing chapters, it is about opening new chapters.
Making Peace With The Dark Side
Therefore, the New Moon in Libra is about sorting things out. What kind of things? Those things that lay in your subconscious. Your subconscious is the metaphorical Underworld, the realm of Scorpio and Pluto.
What can you do to bring the unconscious to the surface?
Everything starts with making a decision to try a different approach.
Libra is the scales that ponder the benefits and the costs. If it’s worth it, she will go for it. Libra is a cardinal sign after all. And cardinal signs are about taking action.
The New Moon is also trine Mars. Mars is the planet of assertion and drive. Mars will push you to assert your personal will. You are motivated. You are ready. It’s time to clean the basement!
In Scorpio, Venus operates from the subconscious. Venus retrograde in Scorpio digs into the subconscious to expose what’s hidden behind your passions, your relationships, your finances, your jealousy, your need for intimacy, your control issues.
Do you feel empowered in these areas of your life or not? If not, it’s time to find out why.
But the New Moon is in Libra, the scales, the symbol of objectivity and discernment. Libra will take a look at all the mess that came to the surface. She won’t freak out. Libra knows everything in life is a little bit of this and this and a little bit of that.
Are you jealous? Then Libra’s approach is to analyze the pros and the cons of being jealous. There is a good thing about being jealous: it means you are passionate and invested. And there are some cons, too. This jealousy can alter your judgment and make you make decisions that you regret later. Libra’s approach is to take your jealousy and turn it into something harmonious, workable and balanced.
Reconstruct Yourself
The Sabian symbol of the New Moon is “After a storm, a boat landing stands in need of reconstruction”.
The storm is a symbol for the indestructible forces of nature connected to the Scorpio / Pluto archetype. It is a symbol of fate, of how things are supposed to work, in the grand scheme of things.
The boat landing represents our free will – it is a man-made structure that defies nature. Our free will comes with benefits (we get to choose) but also with a cost (it interferes with the natural flow of life). Nature will too, adjust to us, but it will take time.
We need toconsciously re-invent ourselves so we can align the two realms: our free will, and our fate.
Most of the time, the boat landing will help us make our lives better. But there are times when we need to withstand storms. We never have 100% control, no matter how advanced the engineering is. Some storms will damage us, and there’s no way around that.
But it is exactly the broken structure, what is left of us after the storm, that is our greatest opportunity.
When you feel you’re falling apart, that’s, in fact, your unique chance to reconstruct yourself, to reinvent yourself, so that you can grow into an even better human being.
What action will you take to reconstruct yourself? The New Moon in Libra is the best time to take that first step.
The New Moon in Aries takes place on Sunday, 15 April at 26° Aries.
This New Moon in Aries will surprise you, enlighten you, and might just change your life. It will first shake you, and then it will set you free.
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac – Aries energy is initiating and empowering. The journey of the zodiac starts with Aries. Aries is when we break away from the ‘oneness’ of Pisces and choose the manifest the divine in a unique way. My way. Your way.
Aries is the ‘Start before you’re ready’ energy. Action, impulse, expressing your true self, are rewarded when the Sun shines from Aries. The New Moon in Aries will bring the clarity you need to act according to your agenda. No time for hesitation!
The New Moon in Aries is closely conjunct Uranus, the planet of freedom and surprises. Uranus is, in fact, the signature of this New Moon, so expect the unexpected!
I was in Costa Rica, coming back from the jungle to catch my flight back to Europe. I was in the middle of nowhere, with no network connection, and could see no way to get to the airport in time to catch my flight. When I was losing all my hope, a taxi appeared out of nowhere literally in the last minute. I was saved!
A New Moon conjunct Uranus is just like the taxi that comes when you least expected it. Like that text message you receive when you thought it’s all over. Like that email in your inbox landing with an offer that you just can’t refuse.
Mercury goes direct
Mercury is going direct on the same day. So we have two reasons to celebrate: the beginning of a new cycle of manifestation (the New Moon) and Mercury direct!
Mercury direct will bring you the must needed clarity. The last three weeks must have been confusing and irritating – Mercury has been retrograde since March 23. Mercury retrograde in Aries brings a lot of irritation because Aries wants to act, but Mercury retrograde cannot keep up with Aries’ effervescence.
When Mercury is retrograde, it is in fact, crossing the same area of the sky three times, asking you to revisit, and revisit… and revisit the same topics, over and over again, until you gain a new perspective, until you ‘get it’.
Mercury going direct at the time of the New Moon is a promise. Is a promise that this time you can get it right.
Even if everything seems wrong, you still have a chance to make it right. Yes, change is possible, even when you lose all the hope.
You already know the truth
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary”
Steve Jobs
You may be familiar with the Steve Jobs’ story. Despised by many, Steve was a man who lived his truth and created something outstanding not only for his times but for generations to come. He was not successful from the beginning – in fact, he lost everything several times. But in the spirit of true Aries entrepreneurship (he had Mars and Moon in Aries), he started again, and again, and again. Every new beginning was a little bit different. And then he finally ‘connected the dots’. The rest is history.
There are few lessons we can learn from Steve Jobs that resonate with the energy of the New Moon in Aries:
Follow your heart and intuition “you already know what you want to become”
The so-called normality does not define you – “don’t be trapped by dogma”
Live your own truth – ‘everything else is secondary’
Be persistent: start again, again, and again… but don’t repeat the same mistake twice
Be open-minded – when you start again, start with a beginner’s mind
Embrace your failures – your biggest pain can be in fact your greatest gift
With Uranus, you HAVE to beam your light out. Go for your truth, even if you are not prepared for what’s next. Trust the divine insight.
Clarity comes from engagement, not thought. Clarity doesn’t come from doing more of the same thing, nor from doing the same thing over and over again. It comes from you being fully present. It comes from connecting to your heart, to that divine spark of light. That insight that will show you exactly what you need to know.
We are living interesting times
The New Moon happens just a few days before Chiron moves into Aries and is the last New Moon in Aries to take place before Uranus moves into Taurus.
“May you live interesting times” is one of the most severe Chinese curses. It definitely doesn’t sound like a curse, at least not by Western standards. But there is a deeper meaning to it. We all know that right not there is an abundance of choices everywhere. There is so much we can achieve – in terms of finances, career, education, traveling, relationships and even spirituality. All this abundance of choice leads to lack of clarity. Hence, the curse. Scientists have backed this up – when we have too much choice, our brain gets confused and we become unhappy.
Uranus in Aries has brought a lot of chaos, and also a lot of opportunities. Now, that we are moving towards the end of the transit, you may wonder “What was this all about? What does it mean to me?”
You may feel an urge to get things straight, to make it right. Before a chapter of your life closes, you want to enter a new chapter of your life ‘in good standing’. You want to feel that you have done your best.
But you may not know what exactly you need to do, what exactly you should focus on, what it is that you need to ‘fix’.
The New Moon in Aries will bring you the breakthrough and the clarity you were waiting for.
Clarity comes when you least expect it
You can get whatever you want if you open yourself to the possibilities which are found beyond what the mind thinks it’s possible. In that place of light, freedom, ultimate love and higher awareness – there is an answer to everything. Possibilities are endless.
The insight always comes, but it comes when you least expect it.
And there is a reason for that. Imagine you anxiously wait for an answer, for a specific outcome. In that space of anticipation, you are in fact trying to frame your reality. How can the divine light come to you? Even if it comes, you will not be able to see it, because you focus all your energy somewhere else.
The divine insight can ONLY come when you least expect it. It is only when your mind is free of expectations, that impossible becomes possible.
Through imagination, a lost opportunity is regained
The Sabian symbol of the New Moon is “Through imagination, a lost opportunity is regained”. What a great metaphor for this New Moon in Aries, featuring Uranus and Mercury going direct!
When Mercury changes course things change their course as well. You have the chance to revisit something from the past and ‘make it right’. But if you want a different outcome, you have to approach it differently. Imagination is the best way to create new possibilities.
The mind must first ‘imagine’ what will then be able sooner or later to actually experience.
Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury, representing the higher intellect, the genius trapped inside each one of us, the divine quality of your mind. You can manifest whatever you put your mind to! If you can dream it, you can do it.
Uranus wants to liberate your mind from dogmas so you can think different. Think about a lost opportunity. Something you wanted to have a different outcome. Can you imagine different ways of approaching it? When you get clear about the outcome you are expecting, you can find endless ways of getting there!
New Moon in Aries – What does it mean for you
A shift has already taken place. You know you can no longer ignore it.
The New Moon in Aries is closely linked to Uranus’s transit in Aries. Reflect on the last 7 years of your life – what are the major themes? The New Moon in Aries will be the “final act”, the conclusion, your greatest insight.
Imagine you read a novel – each chapter introduces a new character. In the last chapter of the book, all characters come together. The dots get connected. The big picture is revealed. Same with your life. If you want to understand the deeper meaning, you have to go through all the chapters of your life, in order.
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever”
Steve Jobs
You will feel the energy of the New Moon stronger if you have planets or angles around 26° Aries, Libra, Cancer of Capricorn.
You can find more information about New and Full Moons here
In February, the energy shifts from serious and responsible Capricorn to humanitarian Aquarius (in the 1st half of February) and spiritual Pisces (in the 2nd half of February).
Although we won’t have any Full Moon this month, February will not be by any means be less eventful than January.
February is marked by a very powerful New Moon in Aquarius which is also a Solar Eclipse. This Solar Eclipse will be the trademark of February and events will tend to happen around this time. If you are born around 15th of February, the coming year is going to be a very important year of your life.
The New Moon and Solar Eclipse in Aquarius coincides with the start of the Chinese year of the Earth Dog. In Chinese tradition, Earth dogs are faithful, considerate and well-disciplined. This is pretty much what we can expect from 2018 from a Western perspective as well, having Saturn in hard-working Capricorn and Jupiter in truthful Scorpio. The year of the Earth Dog is supposed to be auspicious in financial matters, but also exhausting on a physical level.
Also around Mid February, depending where you are on Earth, Venus makes her appearance as an evening star (this phenomenon is called Venus’ heliacal rising). Venus has been away for a long time and because of that many people have experienced a difficult time in love and relationships.
Venus invisible is even more problematic than Venus retrograde. If Venus retrograde can bring issues to the surface, but also resolutions to these issues, Venus invisible means that the values Venus stands for (love, relationships, values, possessions) become ‘invisible’, and are literally missing from our life. Venus has been lost in the glare of the Sun for approximately 2 months so we will all rejoice when Venus will make her appearance in the evening sky. You will especially benefit from Venus’ heliacal rising if you have Aries, Taurus, Libra or Scorpio Ascendant.
All these events make mid-February an extremely eventful time. If you have planned activities around this date expect very interesting developments.
Let’s have a look at the major aspects of the month:
On February 3rdSun is conjunct the South Node of the Moon and Venus is square Jupiter. Venus square Jupiter is a very idealistic and optimistic combination – we will feel the sky’s the limit! On the other hand, Sun conjunct the South Node has the opposite effect. Sun conjunct the South Node is a reality check: yes, in theory anything in possible, but in practice, we all have limited time and resources and not everything is for everyone.
South Node is Karma knocking on our door: is this thing you are doing serving your higher purpose, or is just wasting your time? What seems to be too good to be true can be not that good in the end. February 3rd is not the best day to make big changes or to try to fix something. It is not about trying harder, it is about releasing and letting go.
On February 10thVenus enters Pisces. The Goddess of beauty and love, Venus moves into her exaltation sign inviting all of us to feel what love is really about: losing yourself into the oneness of the universe, into the flow of everything. We will all benefit from this energy, and if you have Venus in a water sign (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) you will benefit even more so.
On February 13thMercury in Aquarius is square Jupiter in Scorpio. This is a tense combination because it takes place in fixed signs – and fixed signs like to stick to their point of view. Mercury, representing our individual experience of the world, feels cool and detached in Aquarius. Jupiter, which represents our social experience of the world, feels deep and penetrative in Scorpio. You can have a clash between your objective and your subjective experience of the world.
Mercury square Jupiter will test you and show you there is no right or wrong answer. We need both rationality and intuition to fully, deeply understand something. But again, because the square is in fixed signs, you can have a hard time to reconcile the two.
This is a South Node eclipse – South Node eclipses are about letting go. Both Lunar Nodes are about adjustments, and alignments – if North Node eclipses have a dose of mystery and unknown, South Node eclipses are more literal – the adjustments they require are more obvious. You may have been devoting all your life to a cause, to a dream, to an ideal (Aquarius). The eclipse will expose the current reality of that ideal. You may realize that you are devoted to a lost cause, or at least, your cause and the relationship you have with it needs to go through some changes.
To find out how the Eclipse is going to impact you, check which house of your natal chart Aquarius is in. If you have for example, Scorpio ascendant / Aquarius in the 4th house, you may realize that you have put too much energy and devotion into your family to the point of losing yourself. There are many people who stay in current jobs, relationships, friendships out of devotion, even if they are unhappy. The Solar Eclipse in Aquarius will challenge your relationship with the concept of devotion. Is it really worth it? Is your devotion unconditional or do you expect something in return? Venus sextile Saturn will give you the pragmatism to make the necessary changes.
On February 17th– February 18thMars in Sagittarius is square Neptune in Pisces and Mercury and the Sun enter Pisces. You may feel uncertain about what is the best course of action. Should you assert yourself or go with the flow? On 17th – 18th of February we have a stellium in Pisces: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Moon and Chiron, inviting you to swim in the waters of your intuition. Deep inside, you know what you need to do. The affairs of the house where you have Pisces will come into focus.
On February 21stVenus is conjunct Neptune. This aspect signifies nothing more, nothing less but pure love. Venus is exalted in Pisces and Neptune is in domicile in Pisces. Pisces stands for unconditional love and compassion. No matter how pragmatic you are, today you will feel drawn to beauty and love in its purest form. If you go on a romantic date on February 21st, it is going to be wonderful. Embrace this energy with your heart open and with no expectations.
Between February 25th– February 28thVenus and Mercury square Mars and Mercury is conjunct Neptune. These aspects can increase the intensity in relationships, for good and for bad. Your desire to connect with others, not only on a spiritual level, but also on a physical level, increases. In the midst of Neptunian fog, let go of your fears and expectations and surrender to the unknown.
On 31st of January we have a very powerful Full Moon and Total Lunar Eclipse at 11° Leo. The Eclipse is visible in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Alaska, Hawaii and north-western Canada.
On Wednesday night, the Moon will pass directly behind the Earth, disappearing into its shadow. This shadow is what the astrologers call the North Node, a karmic power point that represents the Soul’s evolutionary direction in this lifetime.
The Eclipses happen when the Sun or the Moon align with the North Node or the South Node, which are nothing else but the orbital nodes of the Moon – the North Node is where the Moon crosses from south of the ecliptic to the north of the ecliptic, and the South Node is where it crosses from north of the ecliptic to south of the ecliptic.
Because this alignment happens only at the New Moon and Full Moon phase, we can have either an Eclipse of the Sun (at the New Moon phase) or an Eclipse of the Moon (at the Full Moon phase)
So we can have 4 types of eclipses: South Node Solar Eclipses, South Node Lunar Eclipses, North Node Solar Eclipses and North Node Lunar Eclipses.
The Lunar Eclipse on 31st of January 2018 is a North Node Lunar Eclipse. This means it is concerned with the Feminine principle (the Moon) and with the future (North Node).
While the South Node eclipses are about releasing of the past, the North Node eclipses require adjustment to new circumstances.
The Lunar Eclipse Moon in the royal sign of Leo, a sign connected with the proud expression of the self. Leo energy is where we are kings and queens in our own castle. Is where we show ourselves self-love, is where we live from the heart.
Therefore, the Lunar Eclipse in Leo is about creating new opportunities for growth for the queen inside you. Whether a woman or a man, we all have feminine attributes within our psyche. No matter who you are, it is time to be proud of the woman inside you, a woman who is not afraid to unleash her spirit, and live her calling.
But a Lunar Eclipse is much more than a Full Moon, which makes it a little bit more complicated. When we have only Full Moons, we have the opportunity to choose.
Let’s take an example of a regular Full Moon in Leo. Let’s say there is Full Moon in Leo and you go to a social gathering. As people go up on stage and tell their personal stories, you feel inspired. You understand how it is to live from the heart and express yourself without fear.
But when a Full Moon is also a Lunar Eclipse – like it is now – you have no choice but to go on stage yourself. Maybe you are shy, maybe you are scared to death of public speaking. Still, you have to go on stage, because an Eclipse will force you to become the energy you observe in others. It forces you act on the lessons you are learning.
If you embrace the new, if you are ready to meet with your future ‘shadow’, with your North Node, then the experience can feel very rewarding. But if you don’t, the experience can feel rather traumatic.
Perhaps that’s why eclipses have been regarded – and still are – as bad omens.
In ancient times especially, the eclipses were seen as omens for disasters. The biggest possible disaster back then was the death of the king. In order to avoid this from happening, at solar eclipses (solar eclipses were connected to the king) a ritual was put in place: the “Substitute king ritual”.
Saving the king
In this ritual, a person would be chosen to replace the king. He would be dressed like the king and placed on the throne. The person will live like a king for as long as the eclipse effects were supposed to last – from 3 days up to 100 days.
During this time, the real king would keep a low profile and avoid being seen. After the eclipse season was over, the substitute king was put to death, to fulfill the prophetic omen, while saving the life of the real king, who would reclaim the throne.
It is much more to this ritual than simply trading fate. During the ritual, the real king delved into the shadows, just the the Sun disappeared under the shadow of the Moon. When he came back to the throne, he was no longer the same person. The king went through his own transformation process, and this was what the – symbolic – death of the king was about. He saved himself by letting a part of him die.
Right now we have a lunar eclipse, so now it’s time to create a ritual for the queen inside us.
As the sky shuts down, it is time to move inward. A queen rules with her emotions. Are you rulling with your emotions or are your emotions rulling you?
The Lunar Eclipse is opposite Venus, who is right now on the other side of the Sun, close to the South Node of the past.
The two feminine principles – represented by Moon and Venus – are now quarreling in the sky.
“Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the prettiest of them all?”
The Solar Eclipse on January 31st will ask us questions such as:
Who am I: my body or my emotions? My past or my future?
Should I go for what I want or wait to see how other details fit into the picture?
Should I put myself first or other people?
Should I go for instant gratification or build for the long haul?
There are no right or wrong answers. But is the principle of duality, of opposition that helps us become more aware of who we truly are.
Just like the king had to find a substituted to find himself, use the energy of the Lunar Eclipse to get in touch with who you are – let go of who you are not and save the real Queen.
Now look into the mirror.The answer’s right in front of your eyes.
A Total Solar Eclipse like the one we have on August 21st happens about every 18 months. Its effects last for 30 days until the next New Moon, but the themes of the Eclipse will continue for the next 18 months, when we will have the next Total Solar Eclipse, on July 2nd 2019.
To find out how the Solar Eclipse is going to affect you, check in which house in your natal chart in takes place to see which area of your life will be influenced:
– 1st house: Your health, your appearance
– 2nd house: Your income and the ways you earn it, your possessions, your values
– 3rd house: Your siblings, colleagues, your short trips, your creative projects
– 4th house: Home and properties, mother or mother figures
– 5th house: Children, artistic expressions, fun, romance and love
– 6th house: Health, diet, daily routine and workplace
– 7th house: Relationships, partnerships
– 8th house: Intimacy, support from others, unearned money
– 9th house: Law, mentors, teachers, long-term travel, relationships with the public
– 10th house: Career, father and father figures
– 11th house: Friends, communities, groups, the internet and social media
– 12th house: Spirituality, places of retreat (hospitals, ashrams, etc.)
For more guidance, check out my article about the Solar Eclipse in Leo here
Life is good! Every time Jupiter goes direct after his 4-month hibernation period, our lives start to move forward, too.
After 4 months of doubting our goals, hopes and dreams, it is time to start over again with full confidence. Jupiter direct is about going forward, no matter what. No dream is too high, no challenge is too great for the God of all Gods!
Ready for the next big adventure of your life?
Anything we start in the days following Jupiter’s direct motion will be blessed with Jupiter’s luck and good fortune .
If you have Sagittarius or Pisces ascendant, you will benefit greatly from this energy, because Jupiter is your ruling planet.
Jupiter cycles starts every 12 years, so if you are 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 years of age, you have your Jupiter return. During Jupiter return our desire to expand our horizons, our desire to travel, to experience the world, to learn and grow is stronger than ever.
Does Jupiter really bring good luck? Jupiter has always been associated with good fortunes. Jupiter, the protector of the Romans, the God of all Gods in Olympus, and the giant gas ball of our solar system is indeed linked to expansion, growth, and good fortune.
It is believed that the pull of Jupiter’s gravity has helped shape the fate of our solar system. In the early years of our solar system’s history, Jupiter, thanks to his immense gravitational field, has stopped asteroids form bombarding the smaller planets, including the Earth. We won’t be here without Jupiter!
Jupiter gives a sense of optimism and faith, being the official ruler of religion and missionaries. No matter how bad things get, Jupiter always brings a positive outlook. He truly believes that things can ultimately turn out well.
“People who wonder if the glass is half empty or half full, miss the point. The glass is refillable.”
Jupiter loves scale and he doesn’t like to stay small. He wants to go farther than anyone else. That’s why Jupiter rulers everything that is “higher” or “farther” – higher education, long distance travel, faraway and exotic places, foreigners, government and religion.
Under Jupiter’s beam, we are more keen to experience new places – either literally or with the mind’s eye – and to seek a higher meaning in everything we do. Our risk appetite also increases, as well as our sense of adventure – Jupiter transits are notorious for giving us a push to move into unknown territories.
When Jupiter goes over important points in our chart, we suddenly get more interested in different places, different cultures and different points of view. We get excited about the unexpected, about the possibility of discovering something new.
Does Jupiter trigger any point in your chart? Take a trip, read a book, or get in contact with a foreign culture. This is a good time to broaden your perspective and grow.
Jupiter is the antithesis of Saturn. When life gets tough, it’s usually because Saturn has a lesson for us. Right now, Jupiter direct, stronger than ever, is infusing everyone and everything with optimism and joie de vivre and as a result, Saturn’s power is starting to fade. We’ve learned our lessons, thank you very much Saturn. We are now ready to move on.
The world is changing and our beliefs are changing too. Jupiter direct is giving us the enthusiasm we need to change what is not working, what is keeping us stagnant. Which hopes and dreams have you been neglecting? Jupiter direct is the sign you’ve been waiting for. Time to take action and make your dreams a reality!
